1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sliding-type portable terminal having housings coupled to each other so that one of the housings slides relative to the other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, portable terminals are classified into bar-type terminals, flip-type terminals and folder-type terminals according to their appearance.
The bar-type terminals have a data input unit, a data output unit, a transmitter and a receiver mounted on a single body housing. The bar-type terminals have a problem in that the data input unit, i.e. a keypad, is always exposed and therefore may be erroneously operated. In addition, the fact that certain a distance must be ensured between the transmitter and receiver adversely affects the bar type terminal's compactness.
The flip-type terminals have a body, a flip and a hinge module for connecting the body and the flip to each other. The body is provided with a data input unit, a data output unit, a transmitter and a receiver. Although the flip-type terminals are advantageous in that the flip covers the data input unit, i.e. a keypad, in a standby mode so as to avoid erroneous operation, the fact that a distance must be ensured between the transmitter and receiver adversely affects the flip type terminal's compactness, as in the case of the bar-type terminals.
The folder-type terminals have a body, a folder, and a hinge module for rotatably connecting the body and the folder to each other so that the folder is rotated to open/close the terminal. When the folder is folded onto the body (i.e. in a standby mode), erroneous operation of the keypad is avoided. When the folder is unfolded (i.e. in a communication mode), a sufficient distance is ensured between the transmitter and receiver. This structure is advantageous for compactness. Therefore, the folder-type terminals have become very popular in the portable terminal market.
The hinge module of the flip-type or folder-type terminals rotatably couples the flip or folder to the body so that, when the flip or folder rotates more than a predetermined angle, it is provided with force in such a direction that it is automatically unfolded without additional force. When the flip or folder rotates less than the predetermined angle, it is provided with force in such a direction that it is folded onto the body.
As portable terminals are becoming more widely used, customers are tending to demand more diversified functions and designs of the portable terminals. In order to satisfy such demand, sliding-type, swing-type, and pop-up-type terminals have appeared. Particularly, the sliding-type terminals are overtaking the folder-type terminals regarding popularity in the portable terminal market.
Users are also tending to demand that multimedia functions be provided with their portable terminals. However, although portable terminals are becoming multimedia devices in line with the diversity of mobile communication services, portable terminals have not yet departed from conventional folder-type and sliding-type terminals. This means that current portable terminals are still inconvenient to use as far as multimedia services are concerned. Although some terminals have been developed to use multimedia services conveniently, their structural stability has not yet been secured, which means that their commercialization still has many problems.